[PRP] need to know (temperance & jeremiah)

[azuredreams]

Jeremiah reappeared in the Court not that long after he had departed with Alexis. His expression had changed to one that was more neutral than his usual, shoulders tight.

His court wear had shifted once he had reappeared, something more somber in color and reserved. It had a high collar, the cut of the jacket asymmetrical (to drive him batty but for once he did not care), and a vest underneath that looked like it was made of many fine scales (as it shimmered).

He headed to the garden Temperance had mentioned, letting his innate sense of direction within the Court carry him where he needed to go.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

Temperance sat on a low stone bench in the garden, one leg crossed over the other, free foot bouncing anxiously. Her court attire had not changed - since she had not left - and the many fine layers of her skirt drifted oddly as her foot moved. Waiting was boring, and if she'd been the type to needlessly chew her nails they would have all been ragged ends by now. Instead, she sat, and she waited, and while there was a book at her side, it remained untouched.

When Chief Mercer entered, she stood. "Did Alexis get home alright?"

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"With Nasir Vasile and Wil Azevedo," Jeremiah replied promptly. "Alexis lives with them, Nasir is getting them tucked away in bed and will give me a call if anything happens." Though he hoped nothing would.

Sometimes he thought about the phone calls he had gotten from Alexis and- It was not lightly that he had taken on Alexis. Though they were not a tithe, they were essentially under his care and would need his guidance. Perhaps it was best he had not, as of yet, finalized the offer he made.

"Thank you for waiting for me."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Did you tell Zac?" She paused, held up a hand. "Never mind, I guess that's for Alexis to tell, really." Plus, she'd just remembered that Zac and Jeremiah couldn't see each other. Presumably, that was still the case. She did, however, remember Nasir - from Black Friars. A strange expression crossed her face and was quickly shuttered.

"I did not have anything to do but wait, Chief Mercer. What did you want to talk about?"

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"It is but, as usual, I find myself texting Zac about Alexis." It seemed to be a common theme, one that would need to change if they wanted to find themselves with their powers once more. Jeremiah did not want to think about it right now.

"To get straight to the point: the fetch that replaced you, Hart. It's made you enemies I'm not sure you're prepared for."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Technology is amazing," she said idly. Then she sat back down on the bench as Jeremiah continued speaking.

"I had, um, hoped, that since I hadn't heard anything... What did she do?" Temperance paused. "Aside from the whole 'bringing Melany to the court thing' or whatever she did there." he corners of her mouth pulled down in a deep frown.

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"Not hearing anything is, in some cases, worse when dealing with a fetch. Since on one hand they want to excel at your life better than you, they also want to make it so that your return will be more difficult." Jeremiah shook his head, eyes closing briefly at the mention of bringing Melany to Court.

"Your fetch made a request," there was something about the way he said request, "of Sonny that they did not take kindly to. It's resulted in them, for lack of a better phrase, wishing you were dead."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Of... of Sonny?" Temperance had spoken to them once, with Adoelle's dead body between them, the edges of her throat raw. She swallowed. "What kind of a request?"

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"Restricting whom they can speak to about-" Jeremiah paused, as if waiting for something to seize him. Nothing did. "-your status as the third to."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"I don't know what you're talking about." Her tone started out flat but gradually rose into a question. It was a weak attempt to sound natural.

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"You can desist in the denial, I'm well aware that you're the third Principal, Temperance, and that you represent the tree." Jeremiah pinched the bridge of his nose.

"... and before you panic too much: you are the only one I can speak about this to."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

Her lips thinned. It was an awful lot to suddenly take in. The fetch had barred Sonny from talking about her being a principal which, honestly, was probably something Temperance would have done, had she'd thought of it. But now Sonny was mad at her and Jeremiah Mercer knew somehow, too. Temperance had been so careful, so closed mouthed - because if no one knew she was a principal, no one would think to slit her throat.

"Who told you," she said, sounding kind of defeated.

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"No one. I figured it out." Jeremiah gave her a look. It was legitimately his job to do things like this. "I learned that there might have been something wrong with one of the Principals - there is a rot on the trees in Ashdown that cannot be explained - and as the other two are whole that combined with the rot meant it was the third: the Tree."

He moved to sit down on one of the benches, still watching Temperance.

"I was also made aware that if if a Principal is, in any way, severed from their place it can create problems." Here she was, going through the trials of Nobility. "Admittedly, I may not have thought much of it - even thought it was you - if it were not for the appearance of an eye stealing monster in January." There was a story there, obviously, but for another time. "You appeared, to help with the injured, but there was something off. As if I somehow instinctively knew you were not you. Seeing you at the meeting confirmed it: a fetch was in your place.

"That combined with my knowing a fair majority of the other possible candidates allowed for some investigation and process of elimination." Jeremiah raked a hand through his hair. "After that, I simply spoke in private with the fetch to confirm."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

She listened to him, eyes narrowing in thought. All in all, it was a lot of conjecture, which made her feel better. The only concerning bits were that Jeremiah had somehow known the fetch was not a normal human and had gotten said fetch to tell him about Temperance.

"Is the fetch that bad at being me?" She couldn't think of anything else to say. "And... is she just telling everyone?"

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"I can't say. I'm not entirely familiar with you. Hart seems ..." Jeremiah studied her a moment. "Dedicated to bettering her situation." More wary in other ways and potentially more scheming.

That was the only way to say it that he could think of. A snort escaped a moment later. "To be entirely fair, I only approached because it was a fetch. I was not going to interrupt your training here." His eyes were brighter for a moment. "Hart is also not telling everyone. My powers as a Noble, however, enable me to get truthful answers to direct questions."

The Semblance of Unity